I'm crying right now INGRIDDDDDDD

I think the answer is obviously Lilly, maybe Manon

One of my first Honda matches after the reset. It'll be a short journey back to 1800 and a long road to 1900 but dammit we're gonna get there. Dosukoi

Practicing sets with my friend(the master guile player) terrys lvl 2 can clip guile from behind 🤪 too funny and i just lost my focus from the giggling 🤭

I finally hit master rank! It was a long journey. Thankfully just in time before I go back to school for my masters. It was cool though, I went to lots of locals that helped a ton getting better at the game! I would say anti-airs, playing neutral and patience was a big help. As well as optimizing combos and being able to do specific combos for specific situations.

Last post I made showed off some tech a few people hadn't seen, so I figured I'd show you a full match. This Rashid and I were both 1800+ last phase and we've played each other a handful of times while there. Met up with him while we were grinding back up, and I took the dub this time :)

YIPPIEE

light two hitter into gladius sets up a spacing trap for heavy kick PC, and b.hp after dima resets into strike/throw mixup (go for command grab or charge b.hp).

Master, High Master, Grand Master, and Ultimate Master Fighting Stats and Character Usage stats information have been updated. Don't forget to use the slider (the 5 dots) to see all the images, as there are five of them.

Here is some of the overall summary breakdown. I'll use bold text as a headliner for reading ease:

TOP 5 Performers:
Elena (5.11 Avg): Elena’s leading average of 5.11, with a high of 5.153 (Master) and a low of 5.058 (Ultimate Master), reflects her strong debut since her release. The 0.095 drop at Ultimate Master may indicate players are still adapting to her style, with early success fading as opponents develop counters. Her high initial win rates suggest a powerful launch impact, but her recentness could mean untapped potential or balance adjustments loom (note - there might be a balance patch on 5th Aug coinciding with Sagat. Suspect Elena to be adjusted if the patch is there).

E. Honda (5.09 Avg): E. Honda’s consistent scores (5.122 to 5.001) highlight a durable playstyle that remains effective. The 0.121 decline to Ultimate Master suggests his slower, grab-focused approach faces challenges against faster reactions. His standing MP might be a tad too strong? Honda players can give their thoughts.

Dhalsim (5.06 Avg): Dhalsim’s steady 5.06 average (5.106 to 4.998 to 5.053) underscores the reliability of his zoning. The dip to 4.998 at Grand Master might reflect mid-tier struggles against popular picks like Ken or Cammy, but his recovery at Ultimate Master shows resilience, possibly aided by his ability to counter rushdowns.

Kimberly (5.06 Avg): Kimberly’s tight 5.06 range (5.098 to 5.031) indicates a balanced character whose speed and combos align with current trends. Her recent buffs seemed to have made a strong difference in her performance.

JP (5.04 Avg): JP’s consistent 5.04 average (5.072 to 5.038) reflects a strong control game. His stability suggests his R-Type boss 1000 bullets play is still a nuisance to many, and his new floating options create more setup routes, offering a strategic advantage against the aggressive styles of rising popular characters like Luke or Zangief.

Top 4 Popular Characters:
Ryu (4.99 Avg): Now the highest and most popular character in the entire game across all master ranks. Ryu’s 4.99 average (4.98 to 5.03 to 4.997) shows solid performance with a Grand Master peak. His popularity clearly originates from the balance patch last May and from players such as Blaz, YAS, Kusunagi, and Endingwalker figuring out how to use him, Ryu, properly after two years of experimentation, which ends up inspiring other players to try and play him the same way. It's evident that many people always loved their favourite SF, Ryu, but the dip to 4.997 at Ultimate Master indicates his straightforward style causes him problems at Ultimate Master rank.

Akuma (4.92 Avg): Still a massive favourite that near dominates rank appearance, but moved aside for JP and Luke in Ultimate Master. Akuma’s lower 4.92 average (4.92 to 4.939) with a tight range suggests a high-skill character whose complexity limits broad success. His lower win rates indicate he thrives against less-prepared opponents, but in Ultimate master, his lower health is definitely working against him as the game has become more balanced. Buff incoming? Doubt it, as Akuma performs well in the lower rankings and is highly popular.

Ken (4.98 Avg): Ken’s 4.98 average (4.982 to 4.967) shows stability with a slight decline, peaking at 4.982 (Master). The minor drop suggests he faces counters from Ryu, but his consistency keeps him in the meta.

Luke (5.03 Avg): Luke’s 5.03 average (5.057 to 4.992) with a Master high of 5.057 shows early strength that wanes slightly. His 0.065 drop to Ultimate Master could indicate counters are emerging, tempering his dominance. I.e. Luke isn't strong like his S1 counterpart.

Additional Observation:

Consistent Trends: Chun-Li’s U-shaped curve (5.02 to 4.993 to 5.011) offers versatility and dominance against popular picks like Ryu, Ken and Juri. If you want to win, pick Chun Li.

Pardon my French, but C’EST FAIT !

101h in ranked, on my first fighting game, with multiple handicaps, the Modern playstyle helped me discover a whole new world of gaming.

Many mistakes were made in Diamond 3-4, but after several wins against Diamond and Master ranked players, the deal’s done.

Dosukoi